Isaac Beeckman

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Isaac Beeckman (December 10, 1588 - May 19, 1637) was a Dutch philosopher and scientist.

Beeckman was born in Middelburg. He studied literature and philosophy in Leiden and graduated in 1618 in medicine from Caen. After a short time working for his father's business, making candles and water conduits, he became an assistant rector in Utrecht and later in Rotterdam. In 1627 he became rector of the Latin school in Dordrecht. He died at the age of 48 in Dordrecht,

Beeckman was a student of Simon Stevin. He was a teacher to Johan de Witt and was friendly with René Descartes, who dedicated one of his first tractatus to him, the Compendium Musicae. Later in life they fell out over a dispute concerning whether Beeckman had helped Descartes with some of his mathematical discoveries. In his time, he was considered to be one of the most educated men in Europe.